Actor John Travolta’s name became a household word during the 1970s with the popular TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. Since the days of Vinnie Barbarino, Travolta has evolved into a pop icon of tremendous status through the popularity of movies such as Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction. Although he has been praised for his acting abilities, it seems that the most memorable scenes often involve his dance moves (and, consequently, the songs that go with the dances). No one over the age of 30 will ever forget the unique spins (and thrusts and dips and points) he put on that classic 1970s line dance, the Hustle. Many of our students today can be seen imitating his special version of the Twist performed to a classic Chuck Berry tune in Pulp Fiction—and incidentally many film critics have drawn attention to the fact that in his current film, Primary Colors, it’s amazing that he can actually take on the dancing persona of an overweight, white, Southern boy.
When Travolta first brought his style and charisma to the dance floor, it was with the assistance of the band that practically defined the disco era -- the Bee Gees. Responsible for many of Saturday Night Fever’s disco songs, they will probably always be associated with leisure suits, feathered hair, and disco mirror balls. However, as legitimate recording artists and 1997 RRHFM inductees, their records have sold more than 100 million copies around the world, and as songwriters, they have created dozens of hits for themselves and other acts. The hugely successful Saturday Night Fever soundtrack was the biggest selling album of all time until the record was broken by Michael Jackson’s Thriller. With the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, the Bee Gees became the only group, other than The Beatles, to have five songs in the Top Ten chart simultaneously.
It is interesting to note that the other films (Grease, Urban Cowboy, and Pulp Fiction) have soundtracks which are slightly more varied in style than that of Saturday Night Fever. Although Grease was a 1950s flashback, the added theme song was more modern in sound than the songs from the original stage version. Urban Cowboy, featuring hits from Charlie Daniels, Anne Murray, and the Eagles, gave us several types of country-pop songs which saturated many radio playlists during the early 1980s. Pulp Fiction offers the widest variety of music, including classics from Chuck Berry and Dusty Springfield along with Urge Overkill’s version of “Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon.”
Step 3
Watch video clips of Travolta in famous scenes from the before mentioned films. Notice the use of music in each scene.
Saturday Night Fever - Travolta Walk - "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees
Pulp Fiction - Dance Scene - "You Never Can Tell" - Chuck Berry
Urban Cowboy - "Looking for Love" - Johnny Lee
Grease - "You're the One That I Want" - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Step 4
Following the video clips, pick one and answer the following questions on the John Travolta Syndrome Discussion page. You may have to do some internet research.
When was the film released (both year and season)?
Who were the film’s stars?
What styles of clothing were peculiar to the film?
What styles of makeup were peculiar to the to the film? (Remind them of a phenomenon from a couple of years ago...Uma Thurman’s wearing of
Chanel’s “VAMP” nailcolor in Pulp Fiction made the color so popular that it sold out almost immediately. As a result every cosmetic company under the sun created a similar black-red color to compete--like Revlon’s “VIXEN"--and Chanel created an entire “VAMP” line of colors.)
How did the music enhance or heighten what was happening in the film? Issues to consider include the musical style/genre, its mood, the lyrics and/or image of performer, as appropriate.
What styles of music/dance/clothing crossed over from the film into mainstream culture?
What was going on in society that either went along or contrasted with the images portrayed in the each of the films?
Step 5
Other decades and fashion trends have been set by wardrobe choices in movies and popular culture. Divide into small groups of 3-5. Choose a time period to research. You'll also need to be able to view/listen to the songs - in the movies if possible.
Suggested history periods:
a. the mid to late 1950s, encompassing the early Elvis and the beginnings of rock and roll
b. the early 1960s, focusing on the “Teen Idols” and the movies associated with them
c. the psychedelic era, 1965 to 1969, including the festival films
d. the late 1960s to mid 1970s and Vietnam-influenced films and music
e. the mid to late 1970s, including disco, heavy metal and punk
f. the 1980s, “new wave,” Madonna (Desperately Seeking Susan), and movies like Purple Rain
g. the late 1980s into the early 1990s and the development of grunge and rap movie.
After choosing your decade/music genre, choose 2-3 movies from the era.
Identify the songs from the movies' soundtracks. Write or type out the songs for a grade. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Select one song from each movie's soundtrack to represent the era. Write the title of the song, the artist(s), and an explaination of why you chose the songs. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Answer the questions from step 4 for each of the movies you selected. Write out your answers for a grade. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Present your findings to the class.
Rationale
Objectives
Step 2 - Background (read)
Actor John Travolta’s name became a household word during the 1970s with the popular TV sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. Since the days of Vinnie Barbarino, Travolta has evolved into a pop icon of tremendous status through the popularity of movies such as Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction. Although he has been praised for his acting abilities, it seems that the most memorable scenes often involve his dance moves (and, consequently, the songs that go with the dances). No one over the age of 30 will ever forget the unique spins (and thrusts and dips and points) he put on that classic 1970s line dance, the Hustle. Many of our students today can be seen imitating his special version of the Twist performed to a classic Chuck Berry tune in Pulp Fiction—and incidentally many film critics have drawn attention to the fact that in his current film, Primary Colors, it’s amazing that he can actually take on the dancing persona of an overweight, white, Southern boy.It is interesting to note that the other films (Grease, Urban Cowboy, and Pulp Fiction) have soundtracks which are slightly more varied in style than that of Saturday Night Fever. Although Grease was a 1950s flashback, the added theme song was more modern in sound than the songs from the original stage version. Urban Cowboy, featuring hits from Charlie Daniels, Anne Murray, and the Eagles, gave us several types of country-pop songs which saturated many radio playlists during the early 1980s. Pulp Fiction offers the widest variety of music, including classics from Chuck Berry and Dusty Springfield along with Urge Overkill’s version of “Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon.”
Step 3
Watch video clips of Travolta in famous scenes from the before mentioned films. Notice the use of music in each scene.
Saturday Night Fever - Travolta Walk - "Stayin' Alive" - Bee Gees
Pulp Fiction - Dance Scene - "You Never Can Tell" - Chuck Berry
Urban Cowboy - "Looking for Love" - Johnny Lee
Grease - "You're the One That I Want" - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
Step 4
Following the video clips, pick one and answer the following questions on the John Travolta Syndrome Discussion page. You may have to do some internet research.When was the film released (both year and season)?
Who were the film’s stars?
What styles of clothing were peculiar to the film?
What styles of makeup were peculiar to the to the film? (Remind them of a phenomenon from a couple of years ago...Uma Thurman’s wearing of
Chanel’s “VAMP” nailcolor in Pulp Fiction made the color so popular that it sold out almost immediately. As a result every cosmetic company under the sun created a similar black-red color to compete--like Revlon’s “VIXEN"--and Chanel created an entire “VAMP” line of colors.)
How did the music enhance or heighten what was happening in the film? Issues to consider include the musical style/genre, its mood, the lyrics and/or image of performer, as appropriate.
What styles of music/dance/clothing crossed over from the film into mainstream culture?
What was going on in society that either went along or contrasted with the images portrayed in the each of the films?
Step 5
a. the mid to late 1950s, encompassing the early Elvis and the beginnings of rock and roll
b. the early 1960s, focusing on the “Teen Idols” and the movies associated with them
c. the psychedelic era, 1965 to 1969, including the festival films
d. the late 1960s to mid 1970s and Vietnam-influenced films and music
e. the mid to late 1970s, including disco, heavy metal and punk
f. the 1980s, “new wave,” Madonna (Desperately Seeking Susan), and movies like Purple Rain
g. the late 1980s into the early 1990s and the development of grunge and rap movie.
After choosing your decade/music genre, choose 2-3 movies from the era.
Identify the songs from the movies' soundtracks. Write or type out the songs for a grade. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Select one song from each movie's soundtrack to represent the era. Write the title of the song, the artist(s), and an explaination of why you chose the songs. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Answer the questions from step 4 for each of the movies you selected. Write out your answers for a grade. These answers will be on printer or notebook paper. You will not put them on this website.
Present your findings to the class.
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